Nov. 27, 2007
University Park, Pa. - Jen Long, a junior back on the Penn State field hockey team, is one of four national finalists for the 2007-08 Honda Award for field hockey. The Honda Award is part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards that are given to collegiate female student-athletes annually. The Honda Award winners from each sport become finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup, which is awarded annually to the nation's outstanding collegiate woman athlete of the year.
In addition to the selection of Long as a finalist for the field hockey Honda Award, American Honda will donate $1,000 to the women's athletic fund of each nominee's university. The winner's program will receive $5,000.
Long becomes the 11th player in Penn State field hockey history to be a finalist for the field hockey Honda Award. Two previous Penn State field hockey players have won the Honda Award, Jeannie Fissinger in 1980 and Candy Finn in 1981. Other finalists include Brenda Stauffer (1982), Mary Alice McCarthy (1986), Eleanor Stone (1991), Chris McGinley (1992 and 1993), Tara McGuire (1996), Tracey Larson (1999) and Traci Anselmo (2000).
On the field this past season, Long helped lead the Nittany Lions to a national runner-up finish at the NCAA Tournament as the Nittany Lions appeared in the NCAA national championship game for the second time in program history. She led the team and co-led the Big Ten in assists with 12 while being a key part of a defense that led the Big Ten in shutouts and finished 13th in the country in goals against average. She is a two-time All-American and was named a first team All-American for the first time in her career this year. Off the field, she is a two-time NFHCA National Academic Squad member as well as an Academic All-Big Ten member from last year. She is a member of the THON finance committee and a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi, a business fraternity, as well as the Omi Cron Delta Kappa honor society. She has also been on the Dean's List in three out of her first four semesters at Penn State and maintains a 3.32 grade point average.
Results of the national voting, which is done by all NCAA Senior Women Administrators around the country, will be announced next week.